


I wish I didn't sleep so late

by sandyk



Category: Cagney and Lacey
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-20 05:35:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17016699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandyk/pseuds/sandyk
Summary: Mary Beth finds the world a little too hard sometimes. But she has a partner.





	I wish I didn't sleep so late

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wonderwanda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderwanda/gifts).



> Not mine, no profit garnered. Title from the National's Mr. November.

In the first place, Mary Beth had had enough of patrol. Seven years she'd been doing this. The uniform was awful, most of her so called fellow policemen were just as awful and she was increasingly convinced New York City was a pit. She hated feeling that way about the place where she lived. 

Second of all, Mary Beth was just plain tired. Tired of everything. She was tired of everything and that made everything awful. Maybe her second of all was actually in the first place. 

She sighed. 

Third of all, her feet hurt. She sighed again but kept on her feet. 

Naturally, in the middle of this mental snitfit, Christine breezed on by in a wonderful mood. "I take it you have an exciting date tonight?"

Christine said, "Not a date. I'm just in a good mood."

"I don't believe it," Mary Beth said. Three men in ugly suits walked by quickly, all three smoking and, of course, one just flicked his cigarette right into the street. He lit a new one without breaking stride. Mary Beth said, "New York, New York, huh?"

"You're in a mood," Christine said. "Wait right here." Christine ran off and then came back, clutching a keychain. "Here. These things are everywhere and you clearly need one."

It was one of those I love New York keychains, with the heart. Mary Beth hardly needed a new keychain. But weirdly, her feet hurt less. 

&&&&

 

"Do I seem like a lesbian to you, Chris? Cause Harvey would be pretty surprised," Mary Beth said. She was so so angry.

"Mary Beth, you don't need to be so sensitive," Chris said. Because she was someone to talk about being sensitive. 

Apparently her expression communicated that to Christine. Chris frowned and said, "I know those guys are jerks, it's a tired insult. Plus, it's only insulting if you give it that power."

"Thank you, Eleanor Roosevelt. There's nothing wrong with being a lesbian, but I am not one. And I hate being called that," Mary Beth said. "I know you're saying I shouldn't be insulted and I understand that, I do."

"They only think it's an insult because they know we're stronger than them. And their puny minds can't do that math. So they come up with this non-insult. Okay?"

Mary Beth thought about it. 

"Besides," Chris said. "Most men aren't worth your time, unlike most women."

"Except for Harvey," Mary Beth said. She laughed. "But you're right."

&&&&

"I came back to work too early," Mary Beth said. "I should have known it was too soon. Second pregnancies are harder than the first, and I'm living proof." She rubbed her foot. "I came back too soon." 

"You're fine," Chris said. They were in the ladies room where they almost always had privacy. "You're fine." She was already primping in the mirror. Playing with her hair and pulling out a compact, Mary Beth remembered that. She was much happier with Harvey. 

"Christine, you look fine," Mary Beth said. 

"I don't," Christine said. "You're just trying to get me to focus on you complaining. You need to stop complaining. You're doing fine."

"I'm not doing fine," Mary Beth said. "I'm exhausted and my feet hurt and I just want to be home with my babies."

"No, you don't," Chris said, smugly. "You love your children, but you love your job, too. Just admit it."

"I won't," Mary Beth said. 

"You don't love your job," Chris said. 

"I do," Mary Beth said. "I do love my job. But my feet hurt."

"That's not because you're back too soon or whatever nonsense you were saying," Chris said. "That's because your feet always hurt."

"That's not true," Mary Beth said. She stood up and smiled. "I blame my ma, though."

&&&&

"It's something, being a detective," Mary Beth said. She liked it. She liked to hear Detective Lacey. She had accomplished that. Her and Christine. "On the other hand, these stake outs are murder."

"No, actual murder is what we're trying to prevent here," Christine said. "It's really not that bad."

"I'm not like you, I didn't hear all those stories about stake outs and chases from my dad," Mary Beth said. 

"No one tells stories about stake outs to their kids. Because they're incredibly dull. Unbelievably dull. But someone has to do it. And I guess we're the most qualified. We have these special detective powers," Christine said. She smiled. 

"We can watch that doorway like nobody's business," Mary Beth said. "Special powers, really?"

"Sure," Christine said. "I use mine to dry clean my clothes, saves me some money."

"Do you still use that place by the hot dog stand by the newspaper stand?"

"Yeah, I know that address," Christine said. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"The dry cleaning place. The one that wasn't a front for the mob. You said they were good and they always have those sales in the window," Mary Beth said. 

"Oh, that one," Christine said. "They were good. I spilled wine on my favorite coat, you know the one, and they got it right out. Can't even see it now."

"Well, now, Erma Bombeck can tell you how to do that with seltzer and vinegar," Mary Beth said. "But sometimes I like to leave that for someone else."

"Detective power," Christine said.

"Pow pow," Mary Beth said, laughing. 

&&&&

There was just so much darkness and only so much she could share with Harvey. She shared a lot with him, she loved him for that. He would listen and take it in. 

But most of the time, Christine was right there with Mary Beth, together in darkness. People did awful things to each other. 

It was New Year's Eve and Mary Beth was feeling sentimental. She said to Christine, "I appreciate you."

"I appreciate you, too," Christine said, not looking up from her typewriter. They were going to finish all these reports and then they could leave. Christine off with the fellow she was seeing, Mary Beth home to Harvey and the boys. 

"I mean it," Mary Beth said.

Christine looked up and smiled. "I mean it, too." Then she squinted at Mary Beth. "Are you trying to get me to do your reports? I will not. I just won't."

"I'm not," Mary Beth said. "I'm trying to tell you that I appreciate you and care about you."

Christine smiled again. "Okay, good."


End file.
